Car-coupling



(No Model.)

W. HERRIOK.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

INVENTOR WITNESSES. wfi 1s aw. (A42,

ATTORNEY.

\VILLIAM .I-IERRIOK, OF RUSSELL, MINNESOTA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,092, dated August2, 1892.

Application filed October 28, 1891. Serial No. 410,098. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HERRIOK, of Russell, in the county of Lyonand State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oar-Couplings; and I do herebydeclare that the followingisa full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in car-couplers; and itconsists in certain novel features of construction and in combinationsof parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectiveshowing the carcoupler and portion of the car, the couplinglink beingshown withdrawn ready to enter the coupling-head. Fig. 2'is across-section of the head. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectionshowing the link holding the cam.

In the drawings reference-letter a indicates the portion of the carshown. Z7 indicates the coupling head suitably attached thereto. Thiscoupling-head is hollowand open at the end, and has the pin-hole throughits upper portion, as usual.

0 indicates the coupling-pin.

A vertically-movable plate (Z is confined between suitable guides d atthe end of the car above the coupling-head, and this plate is providedwith the f0rwardly-extending arm f, to the outer end of which thecoupling-pin is loosely joined. Two vertical swinging levers g arefulcrumed at the end of the car, so that their handles extend toward theopposite sides thereof, and the inner ends of these levers are pivotallyjoined to said verticallymovable plate at 7L, so that when the handleend of either lever is depressed the plate will be raised, therebyraising the coupling-pin and releasing the link, the sliding plate andcoupling-pin returning to their normal position by gravity. These levershave elongated slots & at their fulcrum-points to permit play as thesliding plate reciprocates. The interior of the coupling-head isprovided with a pin-holding device located at the inner end of thepin-hole, consisting of the horizontallyswinging camj, located in arecess in the upper wall of the coupling-head chamber, so that its outerend can swing beneath and from under the lower end of the pin-hole. Thiscam is fulcrumed at 70, and the inner end of the cam is bent laterallyand the outer end of the cam is bentlaterally in the same direction andis rounded at its outer end.

The coupling-link Z is preferably formed flat with the central opening,and the laterally-projecting stop-lugs m on each side of the center toengage the outer end of the coupling-head and limit the entrance of thecoupling-link into the coupling-head. The coupling link on one side ofeach end is provided with the upwardly-extending lug a, so located onthe coupling-link that when said link is thrust into the coupling-headsaid lug n will move in through groove 0 on the same side of thecoupling-head as the laterally-bent portions of the pin-holding cam, andwill engage the inner laterallybent end of said pin-holding cam and willthereby throw the outer end of said pin-holding cam laterally frombeneath the lower end of the pin-hole, and thereby allow the pin to dropinto coupling or looking position, extending through the coupling-link,thereby effecting the coupling. W'hen the pin is raised by suitablemeans, such as before described, and the link is drawn out, its lug itengages the laterallybent front end of the pin-holding cam and throwssaid cam laterally beneath the pinhole, so as to support the pin inposition to be automatically dropped when thelink again enters thecoupling-head.

From the drawings and the foregoing description the great simplicity andutilityand improved automatic action of this coupling are obvious. Therailroad employs need not endanger their lives, as is the case where theordinary link-and-pin or other non-automatic couplings are employed.

It is evident that Various changes might be resorted to in the form,arrangement, and construction of the parts described without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the construction herein set forth; but

\Vhat I claim is 1. 111 a link-and-pin car-coupling, the combination,with the coupling-head, of a horizontally-swinging pin-holding campivoted to the upper face of the head-opening, so as to swing from andbeneath the pin-opening, said cam being so shaped as to be swung inopposite directions by a lug or portion of thelink, substantially asdescribed.

2. The link-and-pin coupling-head, in combination with the horizontalcam pivoted between its ends in the top of the interior of the head andarranged and constructed substantially as described, and a link having aprojection arranged so that when the link enters the head it will engagethe cam and swing it from beneath the link-hole and when the link movesout of the head it will engage said cam and swing it beneath said hole,substantially as set forth.

In a car-coupler, the combination of the coupling -head, thecouplingpin, and the swinging camwithin the head,arranged to hold andautomatically drop said pin, and the coupling-link having the centrallateral stops and the projections at its ends, said cam being soconstructed as to be operated by the in-andout movement of the saidprojection and the coupling-link, as set forth.

4. The coupling-head having the cam provided with curved edges andpivoted between its ends to the top of the interior of the head, so asto rest above the link, and a link having a portion adapted to engagesaid cam when it leaves and enters the head, and thereby swing the linkin opposite directions, as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HERRICK.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. BARNES, E. D. ALLISON.

